D.O.A.

D.O.A.

Year: 2022

Runtime: 82 mins

Language: English

DramaAction

Frank Bigelow, a private detective, takes on a seemingly simple case involving the husband of a St. Augustine socialite. However, his routine assignment takes a deadly turn when he discovers he’s been poisoned and has only days to live. As time runs out, Bigelow investigates the conspiracy against him, navigating a dangerous underworld of criminals, deceitful women, and ruthless men. He must also face the personal toll of his isolated life while seeking justice and fighting to survive.

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Timeline & Setting – D.O.A. (2022)

Explore the full timeline and setting of D.O.A. (2022). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1950s

Set in the postwar era of mid-20th century America, the story embraces classic film noir sensibilities: rain-slick streets, smoky rooms, and socialites entangled with criminal networks. The ticking countdown from poisoning drives urgency, shaping decisions and heightening tension throughout the investigation. The era’s glamour and crime intersect in a world of private detectives, nightlife, and treacherous deals.

Location

Crescent City, St. Augustine

The film unfolds across two Florida cities, Crescent City and St. Augustine, as a noir mood settles over dimly lit streets and glamorous nightspots. Key locations include the Ponce de Leon Hotel, the Blue Bay nightclub, a lighthouse, an alligator farm, the hospital, and the airport, each serving as a stepping stone in the mystery. The atmosphere blends old-world elegance with underground danger, creating a backdrop where appearances hide treachery and every corner may conceal a clue.

🌆 Coastal cities 🕵️ Crime hotspot 🏨 Historic hotels

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:07

Main Characters – D.O.A. (2022)

Meet the key characters of D.O.A. (2022), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Frank Bigelow (John Doe)

A private detective who becomes the poisoned victim of a calculated plot. He uses the dwindling days to piece together who betrayed him, showing resilience, resourcefulness, and mounting desperation as the clock ticks. His determination keeps him moving through danger while the truth remains just out of reach.

🔎 Detective 🧠 Determined 🕯️ Cautious

Majak

A shadowy gangster driving the conspiracy and the hunt for iridium. He embodies power and menace, keeping Bigelow off balance as the web of deceit tightens around him.

🗝️ Mastermind 💼 Crime 🗡️ Dangerous

Chester

A hood who confronts Bigelow and drives the chase through the Ponce and beyond. He represents brute force within the criminal operation, a barrier Bigelow must outwit to survive.

🗡️ Aggressive 💪 Violent 🤝 Coercive

Rita

The nightclub singer entwined with Phillips who uses charm to blur lines and misdirect Bigelow. She epitomizes the noir femme fatale, weaving danger with seduction.

🎶 Charismatic 🕵️‍♀️ Femme Fatale 🗝️ Misdirection

Grace

A hospital patient who offers kindness and becomes a moral counterpoint to the plot’s darkness. Her presence prompts Bigelow to seek truth without losing his humanity.

🕊️ Compassionate 🧭 Moral compass 🌤️ Hope

Stanley Phillips

Gene’s brother, a manipulative figure entangled with the scheme. His schemes reveal the depth of the conspiracy and complicate Bigelow’s pursuit of the truth.

💼 Ambitious 🧩 Deceptive 🗝️ Complicity

Lockwood

The man who steals the iridium and triggers the climactic chase. He embodies a crucial link in the criminal chain whose actions escalate the tension.

🔐 Thief 🧠 Cunning 🗣️ Co-conspirator

Mrs. Phillips

Gene’s wife, a socialite whose involvement reveals the broader web of schemes. She embodies glamour that masks treachery and complicity.

💎 Socialite 🕵️‍♀️ Deception 🪙 Money-driven

Captain Parker

The detective who takes Bigelow’s confession with regret, embodying the limits of law in a case where the mastermind remains untouchable.

🕵️ Detective 🕯️ Bureaucratic ⚖️ Ethical

Detective Bell

A police investigator who assists in pursuing the criminals and assembling the pieces of the puzzle, highlighting the procedural side of the noir world.

🕵️‍♂️ Investigator 🧭 Determined 🗜️ Pressure

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:07

Major Themes – D.O.A. (2022)

Explore the central themes of D.O.A. (2022), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔎 Mystery

A poisoned man’s race to identify his killer drives the plot, pulling him through a web of suspects and lies. The investigation unravels red herrings and hidden loyalties, characteristic of classic noir.

⏳ Time

With iridium poisoning limiting his days, Bigelow’s countdown intensifies every encounter and decision. The urgency fuels riskier moves and sharper confrontations as the truth inches closer.

🤥 Deception

Double crosses, alibis, and secret partnerships show how appearances mask deadly intentions. The conspirators’ masks begin to slip as Bigelow closes in on the truth.

💼 Corruption

A criminal network linked to socialites and unscrupulous allies reveals how crime operates within a society of glamour. The mastermind’s untouchability keeps justice distant while the hunt for iridium drives the final confrontation.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:07

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Last days investigation thrillers like D.O.A.

A protagonist's final days become a desperate race for meaning and justice.If the desperate clock of D.O.A. captivated you, explore more movies like it. This thread gathers tense thrillers and noir stories where characters face their own mortality head-on, turning their final moments into a high-stakes race for justice or the truth.

fatalisticurgentdesperategrimnoirtenserace against time

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a hero who receives a terminal diagnosis or fatal sentence, forcing them to use their remaining time to solve a mystery, often one that led to their own demise. The story is a linear, urgent investigation, where the protagonist's impending death adds unbearable weight to every decision and discovery.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared high-stakes premise of a ticking clock tied directly to the protagonist's life. They blend the tension of a thriller with the fatalistic mood of noir, creating a deeply personal and urgent viewing experience focused on mortality, justice, and legacy.

Grim crime noir stories with a bleak tone like D.O.A.

A lone investigator is swallowed by a corrupt and shadowy criminal underworld.For viewers who appreciated the grim, atmospheric underworld of D.O.A., this thread collects similar movies. Discover tense crime films and neo-noirs where cynical protagonists navigate a world of deceit, facing bleak outcomes and heavy emotional tolls.

noirtensecynicalatmosphericgrimparanoidcrimeunderworld

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a lone-wolf investigator taking on a case that seems straightforward but quickly spirals into a complex conspiracy. As they delve deeper, they encounter dangerous figures, deceptive allies, and systemic corruption, with the quest for truth often coming at a great personal cost and ending in a morally ambiguous or bleak resolution.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their shadowy, atmospheric settings, morally complex characters, and a pervasive sense of fatalism. They share a tense, urgent tone and a focus on a solitary hero grappling with a corrupt system, resulting in stories that are gritty, suspenseful, and emotionally heavy.

Unlock the Full Story of D.O.A.

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D.O.A. Summary

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D.O.A. Summary

D.O.A. Timeline

Track the full timeline of D.O.A. with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

D.O.A. Timeline

D.O.A. Spoiler-Free Summary

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D.O.A. Spoiler-Free Summary

More About D.O.A.

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More About D.O.A.